Day 2 Preview: Gymnastics on a BMX Bike
Spectacular performances, splendid views, suspenseful decisions, shiny medals: Eight golds are at stake on day 2 of the European Championships Munich 2022, as the sporting competition is gearing up in the Bavarian capital. Stay up to date via our live blog and don’t miss a decisive moment.
© Daniel Kopatsch/Munich 2022
LADIES' DAY PT. 1
Following the qualification on Thursday, it is the women’s turn to decide the first BMX freestyle park title up for grabs at Munich 2022. Eight riders advanced to the final, with Olympic champion Charlotte Worthington (GBR) and defending European champion Nikita Ducarroz (SUI) leading the pack following dominant performances the day before.
The host nation’s hopes lie on Rebecca Gruhn, Kim Müller and Lara Lessmann who pleased the home crowd by qualifying for the final. The stage is perfectly set, with the Munich skyline and Alps panorama an appropriate backdrop for spectacular tricks and skills. Or as Worthington put it: “Picture gymnastics on a BMX bike.”
The riders will get two runs of one minute, in which they have to show their best tricks to impress the jury. Points are awarded from 0.00 to 99.99 directly after a run. The run with the higher score will count for the overall ranking.
Read the full preview here.
LADIES' DAY PT. 2
Europe’s best female athletes are also on show in the triathlon, as the Elite women contest their race for gold. The course will take them through Olympiapark, as they take on the standard Olympic distance of 1500m swim, 40km bike and 10km run.
After diving off the pontoon the women will complete two 750m loops in Olympiasee, exiting the water once before diving in again for a second lap to conclude the swim.
They will head into the first transition, snap on their helmets and grab their bikes to make their way to the mount line which indicates the start of the cycling leg of the race. The first laps will be decisive in determining the outcome of the race, with potential breakaways and athletes attempting to gain precious seconds before heading out on the run.
Triathlon is one of several free-to-attend sports at Munich 2022, underlining the inclusive character of the multi-sport event and making it easy to witness sports history up close.
Find out more about the women’s race here.
© Thomas Niedermueller/Munich 2022
SIX CHAMPIONS TO BE CROWNED
Things are getting serious at Messe München where the first six medal decisions in track cycling are on the agenda. In Thursday’s team qualifications, the German women impressed by finishing first in both the team sprint and team pursuit. They will look to turn their great form into medals.
The men’s team events will also crown their champions, before the day concludes with the women’s scratch and the men’s points race. In that last race all eyes will be on Benjamin Thomas (FRA), who won the European and world titles last year.
For further information on the track cycling action, please click here.
FLIP THE SCRIPT
Sport climbing action at Königsplatz also started on day 1 of Munich 2022 with the men’s boulder qualification and the women’s lead qualification. Day 2 will see the genders swap walls, with the women taking on boulder and the men lead.
Alberto Ginés López (ESP) will compete in lead for the first time since the Tokyo Olympics, where he sensationally won gold in what was the sport’s Olympic debut. The 19-year-old has faced greater pressure since topping the podium in Tokyo, but he has learned to live with the additional attention as the season has progressed. “We are halfway through the season, and it isn’t that bad,“ he said. “In the first comp it was much worse, but now I can manage it quite well.”
Fellow Olympic champion Janja Garnbret (SLO) can boast a full trophy case yet surprisingly is chasing her first gold medal at a European championship. “This is actually the only title I don't have yet,” she said. “I was always second at the European championships. It’s one of the biggest goals for this season because there's no bigger competition this year. A first European title would be great.”
You can find out more on day 2 of sport climbing here.
© Philipp Guelland/Munich 2022
INTENSITY MOUNTS
Friday’s rowing events at the European Championships Munich 2022 will heat up with the first semifinals in the women’s double sculls, men’s pair and men’s quadruple sculls. All three events raced repechages on Thursday afternoon.
Crews in a further 14 events will have a second chance at making the next round of the regatta in Friday’s repechages. Losing will mean some crews’ European championships will come to an end.
For more information, please click here.